Packing-machine.



E. u. SMHH. PACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I5, 1915.

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PACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15, |915.

Patented June 6, 1916.

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E. D. SMITH.

PACKlNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION man MAR. 15. 1915.

1,185,848. Patented June 6,1916.

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PACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I5, 1915.

1 1 85,848 Patented June 6, 1916.

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E. D. SMITH.

PACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. l5, 1915. 1,185,848. Patented June 6,1916.

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ELBERON D. SMITH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIG-NOR TO AMERICAN MACHINE &FOUNDRY COMPANY, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PACKING-MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 6, 1916.

' Application filed March 15, 1915. Serial No. 14,341.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ELBnnoN D. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, haveinvented a new and use- 'ful Improvement in Packing-Machines, of' whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement' in packing machines.

In the Patent No. 1114053, granted October 20, 1914, to American-Machine & Foundry Company as the assignee of Elberon D. Smith, there isdisclosed a machine for packing cigarettes which includes mech'- anismfor assembling a series of cigarettes, for wrapping the assembled seriesin tinfoil or other suitable wrapping material, and for finallyinserting thewrapped package in a pouch. Although the present inventionis capable of use in packing articles other than cigarettes, it isdesigned to be used in connection with the machine shown in the patentabove referred to, the major portion of said machine being used in'carrying the present invention into e'ect. Instead, however, ofinserting a wrapped package in a pouch,1 the present inventioncontemplates the banding of the package; that is to say, the applicationof a sealing band to one end of lthe package, which may or may notthereafter be inserted in a pouch. The present invention, therefore,relates to an `at tachment for machines of the general characterdisclosed in the above patent, and further relates to other types ofpacking machines in which a package of any kind is banded. y

The invention consists in certain parts, constructions and combinationswhich will be. hereinafter fully described and then" specifically setforth in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specificationand in which like characters of lreference indicate the same or likeparts, Figure 1 is a View in elevation, partly broken away and partlydiagrammatic, illustrating a `device constructed in accordance with theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly broken away and partly diagrammatic, ofthe structure shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view, on an enlargedscale, of the means for transferring a wrapped article from the wrappingmechanism to the banding mechanism.

'for transferring the wrapped article from Figsl and 5 are respectivelyside" elevation and end elevation, partly broken away, of

means for positioning a band across the path of movement of thearticles. Fig. 6 jis' a detail view showing some of these parts in adifferent position.. Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are' detail views showing theoperation of the means for applying bands to the articles. F igs.- 10and 11 are respectively side elevation and plan view of ejectingmechanism for ejecting articles from the forwarding means. And Fig. 12is a perspectivev view of a package showing the band as applied.

Incarrying the invention into effect there is'provided means for foldinga sheet of wrapping material about an article, forwarding mea-ns for thewrapped article pro- `vided with devices for1holding the folds ofwrapping material against the article, means the foldingmeans to theforwarding means, and means for applying` a band to the wrapped articlewhile in the forwarding In the best constructions the means for.applying a band to the wrapped article `includes means for moving astrip of band material -into the path of movement of an arti` cle in theforwarding means, means for severing an individual band from said strip,and means for applying the individual band to the-wrapped article whilein the forwarding means. In the best constructions a scan ejector isprovided which cooperates with the forwarding means and is normally outof action because unnecessary, but which comes into action wheneverv awrapped article passes the banding means without having a band appliedthereto. In` the best constructions also, the band is causedto becomeadhesive just prior to its application to a. wrapped article. In thebest construe;- tions also, there is provided a conveyer rovided withspaced devices consisting-of rigid clips for supporting the article andholding the folds 0f ,wrapping material against said 100 successivelypositioning the bands ahead of 105 articles in said devices, and` meansfoi-.thereafter folding the bands the articles. 4

The particular structure nit-d to alas..

trate the invention is but one of many poss-51W the ends sible concreteembodiments of the same and the invention, therefore, is not to berestricted to` the precise details of the structure shown and described.F urthermore,l certain parts of the invention are capable of useindependent of other parts, and such inde` pendent use is contemplated.

Referring to the drawings, 13 indicates diagrammatically and generally amechanism for folding a sheet of wrapping material about an article,this mechanism being substantially like that shown in Patent No.11111053 abovereferred to, and since the particular construction of thispart of the device is foreign to the present invention, reference ismade to the above mentioned patent for a full disclosure thereof and adetailed description of the same is omitted herefrom in the interest ofbrevity and clearness. This folding mechanism, however, includes meansfor transferring a wrapped article from the folding means to a separateforwarding means which is substantially like the mechanism forperforming a similar function disclosed in the above mentioned patent;that is to say, a cam disk 206 provided with a cam groove 266 isemployed and in this cam groove runs a bowl 265 mounted upon the arm 261of a two-I arm lever 263-264, which is fulcrumed at 262 to a bracketrising from the main frame of the machine. with a'T-head having bosses267. Pivotally mounted at the fulcrum 262 is a lever 261 which lies4between the bosses 267. Springs 268 are provided which lie between thebosses 267 and the lever 261. The free end of the lever is connected, bymeans of a link 260, to a carriage 250 adapted to reciprocateupon aslide 249. The carriage 250 is provided with a vplunger 253 and plate254 adapted to rest upon a wrapped article lying upon a verticalreciprocatory table 98 having a stem 100 working in an article pocketcarried by a turret 92. A plunger 238 is provided, which, contacts withthe lower end of the plunger 100 and is adapted, at the proper time, toraise the article from the turret pocket into position to be transferredby the carriage 250. In view of the disclosure in the patent abovereferred to, a further description of thispart of the mechanism isdeemed unnecessary and is omitted in the interest of brevity andclearness.

There is provided forwarding means for the wrapped article provided withdevices for holding the folds of wrapping material against the article.As shown, this forwarding means consists of a flexible conveyer made upof two chains 14 provided vwith rigid clips 15 riveted or otherwisesecured to said chains. rThe chains 14 run over suitable sprockets A16and 17. rlhe sprocket 16 is fast upon a shaft 18 mounted The arm 263 isprovided.

message in suitable bearings in a bracket rising from the main frame ofthe machine; and upon the outer end of the shaft 18 is mounted amechanism 19 known to mechanics as a Geneva movement, the function ofthis Geneva movement being to convert continuous rotary motion intointermittent motion. This Geneva movement mechanism is driven by meansof a chain 20 deriving its motion from a continuously operating shaft 21mounted in suitable bearings in the main frame of the machine. Thesprocket 17 is loosely mounted upon the shaft 22, which shaft issuitably mounted in bearings in a bracket rising from the main frame ofthe machine. By an inspection of Figs.A 2 and 3, it will be readilyunderstood that the wrapped article is transferred from its position inthe turret 92 by a movement of the carriage 250 at right angles to theline of movement of the upper run of the chains 14 which is theoperating run of the same, and it will be readily recognized that theend folds of the wrapping material about the article are by thismovement brought into contact with the adjacent faces of the clips 15carried bythe conveyer, and that the clips hold the folds of materialagainst the wrapped article during the forwarding action of theconveyer.

After the wrapped article has been transferred to the conveyer with theclips 15 holding the end folds in position against the article, it isdesired that a band be applied to the forward end of the article whichwill operate to finally hold the end fold of the wrapping materialagainst the article and sea-l. the package. With this end in\.'iew.,.there is provided a reel 23 carrying a coiled strip of bandmaterial indicated at 21 (see Fig. 1). The strip of band material 2i isled over a guiding roller 25 (see Figs. 4, 5, 7 and 8) journaled upon astud 26, which stud is secured in a bracket 27 rising from the mainframe of the machine. Upon the end of the stud 26 is journaled an arm 28carrying guiding pins 29 between which the strip of band material isled. The arm 28 is further provided with a slot 30 engaged by a pin 31which is fast in one end of a two-arm lever 32-33. The other arm of thislever carries a pair of bowls 34.-. The lever 32H33 is fulcrumed at 35upon a. pin suitably supported by the frame of the machine. The bowls 34lie in the path of movement of wrapped articles advanced by theforwarding means and are adapted to roll upon the upper surface of thearticles as they pass beneath the bowls. The weight of the arm 33 isgreater than thc weight of the arm 32 and the tendency, therefore, isfor the arm 33 to drop so that the bowls would, in the absence of anarticle in the conveyer, drop below the plane of the upper surface ofarticles in the forward- ,of band material to become adhesive.

ing means. This movement is limited by means of an adjusting set screw36,"and the action just described is clearly illustrated in Fig. G, inwhich no wrapped article is shown in the conveyer.- By an inspection ofFig. it will be readily understood that when there is no article on theconveyer below the bowls 31, the lever' S12-33 will be.

swung out of normal position, and in so doing will swing the arm 28 outof normal po# sition. The object of this will be presently explained.

Means are provided for causing the strip the machine shown, the strip ofband material is gummed 'and the gum on the strip is moisteiied justbefore it is positioned ahead of an article in the conveyer. To effectthis result lthere is provided a water reservoir 37 carrying a wick 38(see Fig. 4), the end of which contacts with the strip of band materialas it passes over the guide roller 25. This wick derives moisture fromthe reservoir 37 and causes the strip of band material to becomeadhesive. For the purpose of positioning the band material ahead of awrapped article advanced by the forwarding means, there is provided aclip consisting of a fixed jaw 39 and a movable jaw 40 pivotallyconnected at 41 and normally held in closed position by means of aspring 42. The jaw 39 is screwed to a rod 43 sliding vertically insuitable bearings in the main frame of the machine. The lower end of therod #13 is provided with a fork 44 carrying a pin 45 (see Fig. 1), whichpin operates in a slot 46, located in one end of a bellcrank lever47-l8, which lever is fulcrumed at 49 to a bracket extending from themain frame of the machine. The arm 4S of the bell-crank lever 472-18carries a bowl 49 engaging a cam slot 50 out in a cam disk 51 mountedupon the shaft 21 before referred to.

The jaw 40 carries a bowl 52 adapted to ride against a cam post 53adjustably mounted in the main frame of the machine. This bowl contactswith the cam post only at the lower end of the movement of the rod 13and operates to open the jaws. Vhen the jaws are so opened, the tail 51ofthe aw 4() is engaged by a latch 55 which is held in engaging positionby means of a coiled spring 56, the construction of which is clearlyshown in Fig. 4. The latch is pinned to the upper end of a rod 57carrying at-'its lower end an adjusting nut VBy an inspection of Fig.el. it will be readily7 understood that during the upward movement ofthe rod 43. the jaws will be held open by the latch. and this openposition is maiiitained until the adjusting nut'S comes in contact withthe abutment 5S) formed by the main frame of the machine. The rod 57,and consequently the latch 55, will then .be

Inl

stopped, while the rod 13 will continue its upward movement.` Thisresults in unlatching the jaw Grand permitting the spring to close theclip. This position of closure is clearly shown in Fig. (3. If there is-a wrapped article in the conveyer between the clips immediately behindthe band positioning clips, the strip of band material will be inposition to be seized by the jaws 39-10; but if, as illustrated in Fig.G, there is no wrapped article in position to be banded, the strip ofband material is swung out of the way so that the jaws 259-10 do notseize the end of the band, and consequently will not upon their returnmovement rpull the band down into position. The position of the bandafter the jaws 39-40 have acted to pull it down, is clearly shown inFigs. 7 and 8.

Before the'band material can be applie to a w apped article held in theforwarding means, an individual band must be severed from the strip; andbefore an individual band can be severed from the strip, the stripgagement at the proper time with a cam 65 located upon the periphery ofa cam disk -66 carried by a shaft G7 which is one of'the main cam shaftsof the machine. This cam mechanism is timed `to give the carriage 60 abackward movement towai'd the strip of band material immediately afterthe band pulling jaws 39 and l0 have retreated vand let go of the stripof band material and just as the conveyer begins its forward inove,

ment. The positions in which these parts lie immediately after the jaws39-'10 have released the band material is shown in Fig. 7, while Fig. Sshows the wrapped article advanced and the carriage G0 retreated tocanse the strip of band material to contact with the forward end of thewrapped article. The carriage 60 is provided with spring pressed rollsGS which Contact with the top and bottom of articles advanced by theforwarding means. As soon as the parts reach the position shown in Fig.8. the strip of band material will adhere to the forward end of anarticle immediately behind the band. A device for severing anvindividual band vfrom the strip then comes into action. This deviceconsists of a pair of shears (if) (scc Figs. 1. T and S). These shearsare pivoted together at TO and each carry bowls 71 adapted to be engagedby a cam block 7 Q. The cam block 72 is mounted upon a cam lever 73which is fulcrumed at 63. rl`he lower end of this cam lever carries abowl 74 adapted for intermittent contact with a suitable cam 75 mountedupon the periphery of a cam disk 76 carried by the shaft 67 beforereferred to. It will be readily understood that the cam 75 is so timedas to cause the shears 69 to operate and sever an individual band fromthe strip immediately after the parts have reached .the position shownin Fig. 8.

An individual band having now been caused to adhere to the forward endof a wrapped article and to be severed from the main strip,` itsprojecting ends are to be folded down upon the .wrapped article. This isaccomplished partly bythe rolls 68 carried by the carriage 60 and by aseries of similar stationary folding devices 77 (see Figs. 1 and 7),each carrying spring pressed rollers 78, two in each instance contactingwith the upper surface of vthe wrapped articles and two with the lowersurface. It will be readily understood that when the carriage 60 hasperformed its band holding function just prior to the operation of theshears, it is caused--by its controlling cam-to return to normalposition. During this return movement and after its return, it performsthe function of folding down the upstanding end of thev individual bandupon the wrapped varticle and of folding up the depending end of theband upon the bottom of the wrapped article. It will be readilyunderstood also that in the event of the absence of a wrapped v article,and consequently in the absence of a band, the ,carriage has the samemovements as under normal conditions but 1s without effect.

After vthe banded article has passedl through the foldingdevice 77, itis carried around the sprocket 17 and normally falls into a suitablereceptacle. If for any accidental reason a wrapped article goes throughthe machine without having a band `applied thereto, the naturalresiliency of the end folds of the wrapping material between the clips15 might cause it to remain in the clips and be carried around toarticle receiving position, where it would interfere with the operationof the machine. To guard against this possibility an ejector mechanismis provided which is normally inactive: it is active only, as aboveindicated. when an article does not yfall from the conveyer as it shouldunder normal conditions. This ejector consists of a plunger 79 (seeFigs. 10 and 11) pivoted to a lever 80. This lever is fulcrumed upon astud 81 carried by a bracket 82 adjustably mounted on a bar 8S supportedby a bracket Y 84C rising from the main frame of the machine. The lever8O is provided with a slot in which is mounted a spring pawl 85 engagedby studs 86 carried bythe sprocket 17 before referred to. In Fig. 10,the plunger is shown in ejecting position. lt is returned to normalposition out of the path of movement of the conveyer by means of aspring 87 connecting the lever 80 with the bracket 82, the movementbeing limited by means of an adjusting screw 88. The plunger 79 is givena parallel movement by means of a well known paralleling mechanism 89.Although this ejecting mechanism comes into operation every time a clippasses it, it is normally inoperative because under normal conditionsthere will be no wrapped article in the clip at the position in whichthe ejector operates.

In view of the foregoing, a more detailed description of the operationof the device is deemed unnecessary and is therefore omitted in theinterest of brevity.

What is claimed is:

l. In a packing machine, the combina.- tion with a conveyer providedwith spaced devices for supporting articles, of means for moving a stripof band material across the path of movement of the articles between twoadjacent devices, and means controlled by the articles for causing theband moving means to become operative only when there is an article inthe device immediately behind said moving means.

2. 1n a packing machine, the combination with a flexible conveyerprovided with spaced rigid clips for supporting wrapped articles andholding the folds of wrapping material against said articles, of meansfor moving a strip of band material across the patlof movement of thearticles between two adjacent clips, and means controlled by thearticles for causing the band moving means to become operative only whenthere is an article in the clip immediately behind said moving means.

3. ln a packing machine, the combination with a conveyer provided withspaced devices for supporting articles, of means for moving a strip ofband material across the path of movement of the articles between twoadjacent devices, a band guide, and means controlled by the articles formoving the band guide to cause the band moving means to become operativeonly when there is an article in the device immediately behind saidmoving means. y

4. ln a packing machine, the combination with a conveyer provided withspaced devices for supporting articles, of means for moving a strip ofband material across the path of movement of the articles between twoadjacent devices, a swingable band guide, and means controlled by thearticles for swinging the guide to cause the band moving means to becomeoperative only 13@ `and the other arm of which is provided with a rolleradapted to contact with the articles and for causing the band movingmeans to become operative onlyv when there is an article in the deviceimmediately behind said moving means. j

6. In a packing machine, the combination with a conveyer providedv withspaced devices for supportingarticles, of a reciprocating clip andoperative connections for moving a strip of band material across thepath of movement of articles between two adjacent devices, and meanscontrolled by the articles for causing theband moving clip to .becomeoperative only .when there is an article in thedevice immediately'behindsaid moving clip.

. 7. In a packing machine, the combination with a conveyer provided withspaced devices for supporting articles, of a camcontrolled clip formoving a strip of band material across the path of movement of thearticle between two adjacent devices, means for closing the clip at onelimit of its movement and for opening the clip at the other limit of itsmovement, and means controlled by the articles for causing the bandmoving clip to become operative only when there is an article in thedevice immediately behind said moving clip.

8. In a packing machine, the combination with a conveyer provided withspaced devices for supporting articles, of a cam controlledreciprocating clip for moving a strip of band-material across the pathof movement of the articles between two adjacent devices, a tripmechanism for causing the clip to close at one end of its movement, astationary cam device for causing the clip to open at .the other end ofits movement, and means controlled by lthel articles for causing theband moving clip to become operative only when there is an articlein thedevice immediately behind said moving cli Si). In a packing machine, thecombination vwith a conveyer provided with spaced devices for supportingarticles, of means for moving a strip of band material across the pathof movement 'of the articles between two adjacent devices, means forsevering an individual band from the strip after the latter has beenmoved across the path of movement of the articles, and means controlledby the articles for causing the band moving means and severing means ltobecome operative only when there is an article in the device immediatelybehind said moving means.

n 10. In a packing machine, the combination with a conveyer providedwith spaced devices for supporting articles', of means for moving astrip of band material across the path of movement of the articlesbetween two adjacent devices, shears for severing an individual bandfrom the strip after the latter has been moved across the path ofmgvement of the articles, and means controlled by the articles forcausing the band moving means and shears to become operative only whenthere is an article in the device immediately behind said moving means.

11. In a packing machine, the combination with a conveyer provided withspaced devices for supporting articles, of means for moving a strip ofband material across the path of movementof the articles betweentwoadjacent devices, cam operated shears for severing an individua-lband from the strip after the latter has been moved across the path ofmovement of thearticles, and means controlled by the articles forcausing the band moving means and shears to become operative only whenthere is an article in the` device immediately behind sai moving means.j

12. In a packing machine, the combination with a conveyer providedv withspaced devices for vsupporting articles, of means for moving a strip ofband material across the path of movement of the articles between twoadjacent devices, means for severing an individual band from the stripafter ythe latter has been moved across the path of movement of thearticles, means-for folding the individual band around one end of anarticle, and means controlled by the articles for causing' the bandmoving means and severing means to become operative only when there isan article in the device immediately beh-ind said moving means.

13. In a. packing machine, the combination with a conveyer provided withspaced devices for supporting articles, of means for moving a strip ofband lnaterial across the path of movement of the articles between tivoadjacent devices, means for holding the strip in position against theforward end of an article in the device immediately behind the bandmoving means, means for thereafter severing an individual band from thestrip, and means for thereafter folding the individual band about theforward end of the article.

14. In a packing machine, the combination with a conveyer providedvwith, spaced devices for supporting articles, of means for moving astrip of band material across the path of movement of the artlclesbetween two adjacent devices, movable means 1?0 gni for holding thestrip against the forward end ot an article as the article is advancedby the conveyer, means for immediately thereater severing an individualband from the strip, 'and means :for thereafter folding the individualband about the end of the article.

l5. in a packing machine, the combina tion with a conveyor provided withspaced devices for supporting articles, ot means tor moving a strip ethand materialacross 'thev path o1c movement ci? articies be tween tivodevices, reciprocating pressure devices adapted to hold the stripagainst forward end ci an article as the same is advanced by theconveyor, for immediately thereafter severing an individnal hand fromthe strip, said holding operating thereafter to fold the indi# vidnaiband about the end of the article, and additional pressure devices forpressing the band firmly against the article as it is further advancedby the conveyer.'

lo. .in a packing machine, the combinaq tion with a conveyer providedwith spaced devices for supporting articles, et means for moving Vastrip of band material across the fpath of movement of the articlesbetween two adjacent devices, reciprocating pressure devices adaptedto-hold the strip against the forward end ot' an article as the same isadvanced by the conveyer, means for immediately thereafter severing anindividual band from the strip, said holding means operating thereafterto fold the individual band about the end of ,the article, andadditional stationary pressure devices `for press ing the band firmlyagainst the article as it is further advanced by the conveyor.

17. ln apacking niachine, the combination with a conveyer comprising apair of endless chains and a series of rigid clips 'spacedy apart andeach adapted to support and forward a wrapped article With the folds of4ivre-ping material held rmly,

against the article, of means for moving a strip of band material acrossthe path of movement of the articles ahead only of each clip containingan artieie, means for severing Van individual band from the strip, andmeans for thereafter folding said band about the end of the article.

18. ln a packing machine, the combinaaisance 'tion with a conve-yercomprising a pair ot endless chains and a series oi rigid clips spacedapart and each adapted to support yfor lremoving articles from theclips.

i9., l i a packing machine, the combination with conveyor comprising apair ci endless chains provided with series of rigid. ciips spaced apartand each adapted to support a wrapped article and to heid the folds orWrapping material closely said article, means i-'or -moving strip ofband material. across the path movement oi' the article ahead only onteac clip containing an article, means for hoiding the strip in positionagainst forward end oi" an article, means ifor immediately thereaftersevering an individual band 'from the strip, and means tor thereafterfolding the individual band about the end of the article.

2Min a tobacco packing machine, `the combination with a conveyercomprising a `pair of endless chains and a series of rigid clips spacedapart and each adapted to support and forward a Wrapped varticle withthe folds of Wrapping material held firmly against the article, oi'means for moving a strip .of band material across the path ot movementof the articles ahead only of each clip containing an article, means forsever-y ing an individual band from the strip, means for thereafterfoldin said bandabout the end of the article, an means for preventing anarticle in the forwarding means from interfering with the transfer otanother article from the folding means to the forwarding means.

ln testimony Whereo'l have signed my name 'to this specication in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ELBERN D. Sivil'lliil. Witnesses JAMES A. MCCANN, SYDNEY l. Pnnsso'r'r.

